I drain three quarts of black oil and pour in four quarts then I drain … Install the oil drain plug. It has made me wonder if it could be left hand threads. Oil drain plugs are what the car uses to keep oil in the oil pan. Well the oil plug on the 2009 CTS Cadillac is on the rear of the oil pan. Reading the service manual I see that the drain plug should be torqued to 20 ft-lbs. They decided to go ahead and replace the oil free of charge and only charge me for the drain plug, came to about $25 and change. Leave a clean oil pan under the drain plug overnight to be certain that the leak is resolved. who ever did this oil change is responsible. Having the service manual by my side I though, "This is gonna be a piece of cake." The dip stick is on left side of motor. Once relaxed, you can use your hand and remove the plug. Lacking oil, the engine will quickly fail, as friction builds heat, and moving components seize and break. Consider replacing the oil filter while doing this task, as a new oil filter is the only thing missing for this to serve as a complete oil change. We had an oil change done at a quick lube type shop. if there was a problem with the threads or the plug did not tighten properly the person doing the oil change would no this before it ever left the shop. Most will first notice this leak when their engine pan will become wet with oil. The oil drain plug is a threaded bolt made from a soft metal (like aluminum) with a sealing gasket tightened to the bottom or side of the engine oil pan. Well, today I decided that I was going to do an oil change on the Suzuki GZ250 I just bought. if the drain plug was properly tightened it would not fall out after any period of time. Since the procedure is intended to render the engine inoperative, drive or move the vehicle to the desired area for disablement. Crawl under the passenger side of the car and locate the oil drain plug; make sure you're looking at the engine oil drain, and not the transmission drain plug. The oil drain plug loosed, my oil ran out and my engine is damaged. Beware not to damage the oil drain plug or its teeth. Changing your oil is an essential part of vehicle maintenance that most people can do at home. The washer may be important, but I am still not convinced that it is necessary to replace it every time. Or, it is could have simply decayed with time and be in need of replacing. So the tech got back today from his 3 day suspension, and swore up and down that he tightened the drain plug. Place a drain pan under the plug, and use a ratchet and 13 mm socket to open it. 5. Tom 2. I m going through the exact same case right now with my 2013 Honda Civic. Thirty minutes into the road trip, she heard a strange noise coming from the engine. My last oil change was 7 months ago and I ve driven 2200 miles since. And what torque? Pour enough solution in the engine through the oil fill for the oil pump to circulate the solution throughout the engine. The Oil … I've been changing oil in all my previous cars for about 10 years and I have never torqued the plug. After that, try once again to remove the oil drain plug using a … The oil change seemed to go fine so Ashlee and her friend decided to embark on a trip to Denver. Your engine needs oil to run. Step 5: Allow the oil to drain out into the catch pan until it drips infrequently. The hot oil will begin to pour out. 2. When the plug is loose position the oil drain pan underneath the sump and using a gloved hand undo the bolt. Today I noticed a small puddle of oil where my car had been parked. It is located along the pan by the shifter and is a bit larger in diameter than a quarter. It’s easy to spot as there would be fresh oil around the plug, and on the side of it where it drips down. When removing the drain plug, push in on the plug as you unscrew it -- less oil drips on your hands. 3. After 36 days and 2500 miles driven, the oil drain plug fell out, resulting in severe engine damage. The leak should be addressed promptly. I usually change my own oil but on the occasion that I've had it done at a the dealer I find that they often over tighten the plug (it should only be something like 20 ft-lbs). I checked the dipstick and it was bone dry. The last thing you want is for the plug to fail completely and unexpectedly dump all your oil … In order to change the oil, you need to first drain the old oil and to do that, you have to take off the oil drain plug.But sometimes an oil drain plug becomes stuck because the oil has not been changed in a very long time or sometimes it is simply because someone over tightened it the last time they serviced the vehicle. The tune is awesome, the shop guys were great. At the base of the oil pan is a drain plug, accessible from the underside of your car. 4. I wondered how much oil was left in the pan, so the first time I used the pump, I removed the drain plug afterward. Keep reading to learn the steps and the answers to some frequently asked questions. The engine oil drain plug does not want to come out. It's a crappy pan/plug design. Crawl under, and find the engine oil screw near the front. 3. Check to see if oil is dripping from the plug and then check its tightness. Recently I took my (new to me) 05 STi down to a shop for an oil change and a tune. The Oil Drain Plug. Oil Pan Drain Plug Leak. Drain engine oil for environmentally appropriate disposal. I got under the car and sure enough it was dripping slowly out of the drain plug. Open the hood of the car and refill the oil that was removed during the process. One trick to help keep your fingers from getting oily is to use a 13mm sock and extension to unscrew the drain plug. Where you plug in the socket, use the wrench to loosen the plug in a counterclockwise direction. Worn out thread, misaligned threads, or a loose oil drain plug can be a common oil leak cause. So I downloaded the 749R manual thinking it was close enough but I guess not. A drain plug is used to remove oil from the engine. The oil drain plug is what helps to hold the oil in and releases it when it is removed during an oil change. A little bit of DIY can help you save some money on your oil change cost. Maybe that is the best reason to not forget the crush washer. I only got about a tablespoon more oil out of it. Any idea. I see a huge hex right to the left of the filter and assume that's where the mesh is and there is a screw right beneith it that might be the one I'm looking for but I'm not sure. Step 4: Remove the oil drain plug with a 14 mm socket. The other tip is to use a hammer and try to tap on the oil drain plug. Ensure that all the old oil goes into the pan. Now, all was really fixed supposedly, so when the next oil change came I decided to go to a closer JL and they said there is a small leak and they won't touch it because their records show a disclaimer that it had been rethreaded. Drain and replace the oil filter. Well, all went smoothly until I went to replace the oil drain plug. This threaded plug uses a sealing washer which tightens flush against the oil pan and the plug. The oil pan is located on the underside of a vehicle and a common oil leak is located around the drain plug, which is on the very bottom of the oil pan. Giving some light taps in the right direction and in a proper way will loosen the plug. If you’re using conventional oil, changes are recommended every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. The drain plug also contains a crush type gasket which can fail over time or if it isn’t replaced. Step 6: Wipe down the surface near the drain port and replace the oil drain plug and tighten down appropriately, you can either reuse the same one or use a new part from your dealer or auto parts store. If the drain plug is loose or the sealing washer is missing or worn it can cause an oil leak. They said the drain plug that was put on was too small so they went ahead and rethreaded the oil pan. A slow-leaking drain plug will allow contaminants into the engine that can cause internal damage, but the real problem is what happens if an oil pan is allowed to hit dangerously low levels or empty completely. Your contaminants are in your oil filter, so just use the pump and go have fun with the time you save. The Honda dealership that last performed the oil change doesn t … There was no oil leakage or any sign of trouble up to the point where the plug came out; no oil in the driveway, or parking spot at place of employment. Probably still made money! Over time, the oil drain plug will become damaged and may begin to leak. If the 2nd step fails, do not lose hope. first time poster,and thanks for having me.. picked up a 2004 trailblazer and started hearing an annoying rattling noise under the front end when driving slow ,,looked underneath and saw one of the 2 bolts of the small access cover for the oil drain plug was loose/dangling. It is due for first oil change since I bought it used. There is a plug on the lower left side of the engine that can work loose, causing an oil leak. The plug, which sits at the bottom or side of the oil pan, is charged with keeping your motor’s vital life blood — its lubricant — from pouring out due to the constant effects of both gravity … So if it's takes like 40 lbs or more at the angle under the car I sometimes just need a little help. I made sure when I got home that I could get the plug loose with basic hand tools. Allow the oil to drain completely while you work on the filter. 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